November 27, 2005
http://www.teamlakeeffect.com/
Hindsight sure is an interesting thing.... or maybe I should say "It's incredible how little rational thought occurs during a cross race". As soon as today's race was over, I had a plan for how to attack each tough section faster. Too little, too late though.
Race 6 of the October/Lake Effect cyclocross series, and the second day of racing in a row. We're back at the fields, and after trashing the wet sections of the park yesterday, todays course includes lots of pavement... and some double track through the woods. It's still pretty wet, so it'll be another interesting race.
The Course
Like yesterday, we return to the same park. This time, they routed the course to miss most of the worst sections from yesterday except one. We started in the parking lot on the far side of the park. Instead of doing grass section, we rode around the lot, and had a log to hop to get to the first field were we went over the fastest grass section from yesterday. This brought us straight into the woods where the double track was pretty muddy, with large puddles, slick mud climbs, and some rolling humps. It even had some running water down the trail in one section and across it in another.
On the exit from the woods, we traversed a mud/water bog that took us to the sweeping turn to the gravel decent from yesterday. Across the bridge, and up the Belgian gravel hill. Across the parking lot, and around baseball fields on the concrete path. All pavement around the fields, to a snappy switchback, 180 degree turn down the road hill, back up the hill on other side (that we also climbed yesterday), and across the lot through a quick turn around to the start finish.
This course was short, at about one and one eighth mile. The addition of the woods has been decisive in the past here, and I didn't expect anything different. The temperature was somewhere in the 40s, so all the snow and ice we had yesterday was melted or melting and everything was very wet. The forecast was for scattered showers... so it wasn't going to dry out anytime soon.
B/C Race
25 B racers toed the line. They started out with a 4:52 first lap, so we'd be going around a lot today. Short, fast laps means people (including me in my race) will be getting lapped.
Brett was contemplating the single speed mountain bike today. But the decent on the road would have him spun out with the gearing on it, so he decided on the 'cross bike with the most aggressive tire he had. His race started out well, though I think the bogs and the climbs took their toll. Brett ended up third behind points leader Matt Weeks, and Solon Bikes Erick Lesco. This puts Brett and Eric even on points heading into the series final next week. Double points up for grabs, Brett has to beat Eric to get second place, and Matt Litzler may be able to reenter the battle with a good ride.
Gear
After the B's did a couple of laps, I took a spin around the course. With all the pavement, I had intended on going back to the Tufo's but as I tried to get through the mud in the woods I changed my mind. Michelin Muds for today. I'd leave the Tufo's in the pits. I also threw the mountain bike in there, and joked I should take a bike change before the woods, and then again right after. The pits were almost in the right place for it too. Hindsight... might have been a better bike for today, though I'm still not 100% convinced of that.
After yesterdays overheating, and with todays temps being higher, I decided to dress a bit lighter. One sleeveless base layer, standard short sleeve jersey and arm warmers. Knickers, smart wool and normal Sidi's. No skull cap today, so I wouldn't be stripping.
A Race
I did a light warm up to get the legs turning over. Right in the middle I realized that I had pinned my number to the wrong side of my jersey... so I cut it a bit short to get dressed correctly.
My wife again gave me an "order" to get a place. She wants sixth today. With 8 starters lining up for the A race, I might be able to do that or better. With the short laps, I had expected to get lapped, but one of the non-starters was Paul Martin. So far in order to lap me, you had to be in front of Paul. In 4 races, I've held him off twice, and been beaten twice. Maybe I can make it on the lead lap today.
Paul was the only rider in the top 8 to not show up, so we had the 7 regulars racing against each other. There was one addition, though he was 3 laps down yesterday, and would be a non-factor in todays race was well. At the whistle we're off for 12 laps.
Around the parking lot and to the log crossing, and I'm fifth over the log. John Lorson does an endo behind me holding up the back three, and the rest of us are away. The fast section yesterday has thawed today, so it's a bit slower. If we stay to the right though it's still pretty solid, so we head into the woods.
I'm on Rudy Sroka's wheel into the woods, and holding pretty well. Actually, I'm thinking I'm better in here than he is as he's holding me up a bit. I make it out of the woods as Lorson catches back on, and we have 6 together... except that Ernie and Ross have started to open a bit of a gap. Down the decent and up the climb and things are starting to open a bit more.
As we come around the start finish, I see Ross has a gap on Ernie! He's also quite a way in front of me. I'm still following Lorson, Rudy and Zak have opened a bit of a gap. As we hit the log, John hops it on the low point, and I follow suit. Thus starts my first serious mistake. I make it clean, but get bogged down in the mud on the other side. It's a slow pedal for about 20 meters to something solid before I can accelerate again. The mistake is I don't learn from that, and continue to try the hop for the remainder of the race.
Second time through the woods, and Lorson has a gap opened up. I'm thinking "let the bike float" as I ride through this stuff. It's a bit rooty, and very wet. I'm braking a lot to make it through the turns, and then slogging through the very muddy sections. I'm able to ride it all though, and come out with the same gap. The bog right outside of the woods is getting deep. I think my pedals are almost touching the ground as the wheels sink in looking for something solid. Once out of that, find the high ground for the turn to the descent.
I end up drilling the descent pretty well. I'm running the brakes a little at the top to clear the rims so I can slow enough to make the turn at the bottom. Then power up the other side best that I can. The Belgians weren't out today, and I missed them and the cowbells. 12 times up that climb without screaming fans was a bit rougher than the 6 trips I'd done the day before.
At the top I was trying to get my cadence up as quick as possible. Shift into the big ring and spins some more. Once around the two corners at the far side of the field, I did a sprint to get back up to speed. I was holding my speed through the corner to the switchback that pointed us back down the hill. Once through that, I'd hammer it again to get moving as quickly as possible and try to carry my speed through the climb on the other side. At the top, I'd recover through the start finish turn around, then start pushing it again to the log....
Sixth place. Lorson had a small gap on me, and I had a gap to Jeff in seventh. Third time over the log, I bunny hop it and my front wheel sinks into the mud on the other side. No endo, but it's slow going, then I realize I'm still in the big ring as I try to power through the mud. Drop the gear, and get it moving. Lorson has opened the gap a bit more. I think I forgot to shift at least half the trips over that log...
Through the woods, and I'm loosing time in the mud there too. There are three really bad sections. A climb I take up some running water is fine, but once past a tree the mud gets nasty until we hopped some logs. Once past the logs, there was a section that was really wet, and the wheels dug way into again. Up over a weird hump that I couldn't find a line over, and then through another wet muddy bog rise that was a grind to get over.
So it seemed I was making up time with my tactics on the pavement, descents and climbs, but I was loosing time in the woods and grass. As the laps went by I was holding the gap to Lorson pretty steady. Jeff was having a hard time, and after holding the gap close for a while, disappeared after 4 or 5 laps.
OK, high points of the race. Another teammate of mine, Brian brought his son out to spectate. He was somewhere between 4 and 5 and every time I passed them he was screaming "Come one, John". Very fun, almost better then the big section on the hill yesterday. There were still quite a few people out, which helped loads also.
6 laps down, and Lorson is starting to open the gap. I'm having more and more trouble with the log crossing and the woods. I'm not seeing Jeff except for the one field crossing, and he's way back. Then I see Ernie starting to come up on me. So it looks like I may not finish on the lead lap after all. These mountain bikers are killing me in the woods.
I can still see Lorson, but just barely. I've got some work to do. Try to stay clean and see if I can eat into the gap. Push the pavement, float the woods. 5 to go, Ernie is gaining. Looks like I'll get lapped again soon. I can't let that get me though. I'm not racing against Ernie really. I need to stay ahead of Jeff and try to bring back Lorson.
Down the gravel decent and up the climb, except I threw my chain, and can't get it back on at the bottom. So I hop off, and put it on... very clumsy though, and it goes to the big ring, so I stall instantly. Off, spin into a reasonable gear and hop back on to do the climb. That won't help me any where.
Once at the top, Ernie is pretty close. Then I make yet another mistake and let him come around me on the pavement. I probably lost a few seconds by slowing so he could come around, then I'm sitting on his wheel as we go around the corners... where I was pushing to get up to speed, Ernie is doing some recovery. I'm not going as fast through this as I was before... I hold his wheel and decide I'm not going to let him slow me down on the decent. I use the speed there to help me up the other side. Once around the switchback I hammer it again, leaving Ernie behind for the moment.
In the parking lot, I again slow, and let Ernie by. 3 to go now. I'm really being too nice here, I should have kept my pace, and let him keep his. Oh well, I did see him run the log... he ran a long way to get past the mud. Then a light bulb goes off... I should be running this. OK, I'll cover this two more times, I'll run it.
Through the woods, and Ernie leaves me behind. I really would have liked to follow him through to see his lines and learn, but he's too fast. I picked up most of the lines, by noting new tracks, but nothing like following someone who is really good. Ross is also catching me, and passes me right before we come out of the woods. Again, I'm really concerned with not holding him up, so I purposely take a really bad line to get out of the way.
OK, 2 and a half laps to go... and the mountain bikers are ahead of me. Now it's for pride again. John Lorson is mostly out of sight, Jeff is gone behind... so I'm really racing for time now. I'm effectively racing against the B's but doing it an hour and a half later. I run the log the last two times, and it really is faster. I survive through the woods and hammer on the pavement.
I easily cross the line for sixth place, just like my wife wanted. I'm so accommodating. Results have me 2 minutes behind Ross. 2 minutes down to the mountain bikes in 2 and a half laps! Average times put Lorson close to 2:40 in front of me. I'm guessing Ernie almost caught him, but not quite.
Stats
| Time | 1:04:38 |
| 11 laps | 12.42 miles |
| Max | 34.4 mph |
| place | 6th |
As I crossed the line, Ernie asked if I was third. HAH, that would have been nice! Third across the line, but one lap down. Must have been oxygen debt. I was glad I made him pass me twice though. Personal victory. Take them where I can.
After the race, Brian's son saw me. I thanked for all the cheering. He asked if I won! I told him not quite, but I got a top 10, and it was all because of his "GO John!" cheering. He didn't think the mud all over me looked like much fun though. Maybe I don't remember what it's like being 4. I thought I would have loved to get all muddy at 4. Maybe it was the muddy teeth that turned him off.
One of my fast buddies has told me that a big motor always wins over technical skills in cross. Today's results show that you can only hold that so far. The two expert mountain bikers killed the field in todays conditions. Ernie has a bigger motor and better skills than Ross. Once Ross saw Ernie's lines though, he was able to hold on and limit it to a 30 second gap.
Doing the lap averages, my time would have gotten me in 15th in the B race. I'll make excuses again. Racing alone would have been different than racing with the B's. So I hope I could have been at least top 10.
Cross is a game of limiting losses, and I was not doing very well at that at all. This year I feel like I'm learning to race all over again. In hindsight, I should have known I was loosing time at the log, and should be running that. There were probably two or three other running spots in the woods that would have save me tons of time. Right after the race, I half joked that I would have been faster running the woods section, and I probably should have run half of it. I also should have preridden it more, and found out where to hop off and hoof it.
Overall, I'm not too disappointed with the race. I felt good about the pavement sections, and handling the drops. I had plenty left at the end of the race, to continue to power through stuff and sprint in the places I wanted to. In a way, I was glad that I could ride everything through the woods, even if I would have been faster running some of it. Must be the mountain biker part of me.
OK, I'm in 6th on points, 21 points behind Ross and Paul. I need 7th, and one of them to not show next week in order to move up... not likely. Actually, since next week is double points, I need 15th if one of them doesn't show. I'm not going to count on a no show though. Jeff is in 7th place 8 points back, and Lorson is in 8th 17 points back. So as long as I finish where I have been, I should hold onto 6th place. Payout is to 5 places, so 6th is the first loser... but it gives me a goal for next year.
Next week we're back in Copley at the Boughton Farm. I've had my best race there this year. I mean feeling best, happiest with my race, not the best place. I'm hopping to repeat that next week. My goal for next week is to race smart. Run, carry and sprint when I should. Do what I used to know to do last year, and race clean. It's my last race of the year, I'm hoping to end with no regrets.
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